Antifriction pipe sleeve



Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. FENTRESS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0I ONE-HALF T0 HARRY H. ISeXAC-S, GF LOS ANGELES, CALFORNiA.

ANTIFRICTION PIPE SLEEVE.

Application filed December My invention rela to the art of drilling oil wells, being more particularly a sleeve attaehable to the ordinary drill pipe, commonly used in the rot-ary drilling of oil wells, which sleeve has mounted thereon a collar freely rotatable on the sleeve on balls or other anti-friction devices.

In the drilling of oil wells, il'. commonly occurs that depths of several thousand feet are encountered, aV casing being` used for retaining the sides of the wells which also affords protection for the string of tools which are operated through the casing.

It is common practice to shut off water from entering the well by the common methods of ceinenting, that is, charges of cement are forced through the bottoni of the casing and up around the casing into the formation which necessitates that the casing at all times remain tight and free of leaks. In drilling'` however, the drill pipe frequently' bends and rubs against the casing and, due to the rotation of the drill pipe, results in wearing holes in the casing which not only weakens the casing but permits water to enter the casing and destroy the effectiveness of the ceinenting operation.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an anti-friction device of simple form of construction which can be placed on the drill pipe itself at any preferred portion of its length, without in any manner changing the ordinary equipment of drill pipe, collars or tool joints.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character describial which is low in cost and of effective design for the purposes required.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter from the following description.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a well showing portions of a drill pipe therein equipped with a forni of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one of the anti-friction devices on a section of drill pipe.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the device sliown in Fig. Q, and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified forni of my invention.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 2l, inclusive, 11 designates a section of drill pipe and 12 a .nally as indicated at 14.

18, 1926. Serial No. 155,675.

sleeve which is made with an internal diaineter sufficient to permit a sliding movement on the drill pipe for adjustment of the device to any desired position thereon.

The sleeve 12 is bevelled or tapered at each ond as indicated at 13 and slotted longitudi- 15 designates a circular flange or rib formed on the sleeve adjacent one end and 16 a collar freely rotatable on the sleeve between the flange 15 and a ring 1i' which is welded to the sleeve after the collar 16 is placed thereon. The collar 16 is provided with a plurality of ball races 18 for the reception of balls 19 which run freely on the sleeve and permit a fiee rotative movement of the collar 16 with respect to the sleeve 12 and drill pipe 11 by reason of the fact that the sleeve is secured to the drill pipe.

The securingof the sleeve 11 on the drill pipe by two areas of gripping Contact is accomplished in the following manner. Two clamping or wedge bands 2O are provided, one for each end of the sleeve 11.

Each clamping band 20 is preferably provided with an undercut inner end 21 permitting the bands to Aride over the respective iiange 15 and ring 17 and Said bands are also each provided with a tapered smooth inner face or bore 22 which corresponds with the tapered smooth ends of the sleeve 11. Both said bands and said ends being preferably smooth (unprovided with threads) the bands are forced toward one another, over the oppositely extending ends of the sleeve, thereby causing. a binding of the split ends of the sleeve on the drill pipe; and when the sleeve is in proper fixed relation to the drill pipe the bands are welded respectively to annular` restraining members such as the flange 15 and ring 17, as indicated at 23.

lVith anti-friction devices of the character described above attached to the drill pipe at intervals thereon, any bending of the drill pipe brings the collars 16 of such devices into engagement with the casing in the well, indicated at 25, and due to the anti-friction forni of mounting of the collar 16 on the sleeve 11, little or no wear takes place in the casing, consequently the casing remains intact and no leaks of water into the casing take place.

As shown in Fig. 1, the anti-friction device generally indicated atis placed between a collar 3l and. a tool joint 32 0n, tlie drill pipe, tbe placing of the anti-friction device on the pipe itself allowing free .inanipnlation ol the drill pipe in asseinbling` and disassenibling, and tliie cellars andl'ool joints thereon being, of eonnnon torni and operated in the usual lnanner.

ln tbe forni of iny invention slioivnin Fig. e, the device in general is of the saine orin as heretofore described, with tlieexception that tbe bands are lengtliei'ied and toi-ined with inwardly extending,v l'langes 33, ivliieli entirely enclose the Iends of the sleeve, the Welding operation taking place directly between tlie band and the drill pipe itsell.

l claim as my invention:

l. lin anti-friction dei/'ice :ler drill pipe` eoinprising;v a sleeve provided Witli. opposlli 7" 'tapered and longitudinally slotted threadless ends to engage said pipe in tivo areas of gripping Contact, a treely rotatable collar on said sleeve, annular ineens, lixed above and below said collar, for its retention en said sleeve, and ineans, distinct troni said annular ineans, for iXing said sleeve on said drill pipe.

2. An anti-friction device for drill pipes eoinprisin` a sleeve on said pipe, a freely rotatable ni'einber on said sleeve, and thread- Y- less clamping ineens engaging botli ends oil? said sleeve for lixing said sleeve at any desired level on said pipe.

3. in anti-friction device for drill pipes comprising a. sleeve on said pipe having op 35 positely extending tapered split ends, a eolnominees lar ilfreely rotatable on said sleeve, and elan'il'iing means Consisting of vtlireadlest-i bands interiorly tapered to engage the tapered ends ot said sleeve and elanip tlie sleeve to' said pipe,-said bands bein` seeiired to said sleeve by Welding.

il. An anti-friction device lor drill pipes Comprisingv a sleeve on said pipe having tapered split ends, ilange on said sleeve, a ring` on said sleeve, a cellar *freely rotatable on sanA sleeve between said flange and ring, and clamping ineans on said sleeve for rising said sleeve on the drill pipe, said Clamping ineens Consisting oil interiorly sn'iootli and substantially i itieal bands interiorly tapered to engage die tapered ends el" said sleeve.-

An anti-'rietien deviee i'or drill pip-es eeniprising a ineinber :nlapted to be lined by tive areas or gripping; eontaet to a seetion of said drill pipe intermediate its ends, a. pair of like Wedge bands eppositely inevable to ell'eet said Contact and anti-friction bearing means mounted on said ineniber and ireely rotatable between annular nieinliiers i'ied tliereon,-said annular Inenibei' being distinct trein said wedge bands and said Wedge bands being` so nnderent as to extend over said annular members, in a. manner favorable to the retention or mentioned parts in an assembled relationsl'iip by welding.

ln testimony whereof, l have lierennto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 8th day of December, 1926.

GEORGE E. FINTBESS. 

